K H Horse & Pony Therapy

WELCOME TO KH HORSE & PONY THERAPY

Equine Massage throughout Canterbury

KH Horse & Pony Therapy provides a massage and therapy service for all horses throughout Canterbury. Whether it’s a racehorse, competition horse, or the family pet KH Horse & Pony Therapy will travel to you to provide your animal with a comprehensive massage and therapy service.

BENEFITS OF HORSE MASSAGE

The benefits of horse massage have been known for countless years. In days of old it was a tool used by grooms to help maintain their horses’ health.

Your horse’s muscles make up 60% of the body weight and are responsible for movement and healthy functioning of the body.

Muscle problems are not always directly evident but may be shown through:

Changes in behaviour

Development of annoying habits

Resistance to commands

Becoming uneven

Displaying general signs of soreness

Often muscles will be the first indication there is something wrong. A muscle contains many fibres and as it contracts and relaxes, if not operating at optimum, some of these muscle fibres become ‘stuck’ and form a spasm. As the spasm enlarges it causes pressure, and this is a major contributor to discomfort and pain.

If a spasm is not removed it will eventually lead to a tear in the muscle or to other connective tissue, and can set up other areas of resistance as the body attempts to feel balanced.

The longer the muscle spasm is left unattended the harder it is to remove. A muscle spasm that has been left a week is relatively easy to remove. One that has been left months or years will take more than one treatment and may need to be maintained if a permanent weakness has been allowed to develop.

ABOUT KH HORSE & PONY THERAPY

Hi, I’m Katrina Houston

I’m a Qualified Equine Sports Massage Practitioner. I’ve spent my entire life around horses and my passion is caring for horses and ponies.

The season has become a lot longer and that can cause problems for horses and ponies. Massage is an excellent way of keeping the animals fit and healthy, and a good preventative measure for avoiding injury.

Horse massage can also highlight areas of concern. I conduct a thorough consultation with the owner to help with the horse’s health, including advice on health and nutrition, and provide a written report.

I travel throughout Canterbury and would love to hear from you to discuss your concerns.

KH HORSE & PONY THERAPY SERVICES

Equine Massage

Deep tissue massage over the entire body will indentify any problems the horse is having, and any areas of muscle tension and concern. Massage will help alleviate pain, reduce muscle spasms, stress and swelling, and help with inflammation and tissue damage.

Massage treatment is 1 1/2 hours starting at $70 – this may include travel costs depending on clients location

Stretching

I provide active stretching while the horse is being ridden and passive stretching from the ground.

Stretching offers many benefits, including enhancing the sensory nerve endings in the muscles, tendons, joints and ligaments. It can help alleviate problems and prevent injuries from happening. Many of these stretching techniques can then be performed by the owner.

Consultation

Talking to the owner can reveal a wealth of information about an animal. My service involves a full consultation plus observation of the animal to assess its gait, posture and any problems it might be exhibiting. I provide advice on health and nutrition and a written report on preventative measures and ways of maintaining the health of your animal.

Saddle Fitting

Incorrect saddle fitting, poor saddle placement, or an imbalanced rider can cause problems for a horse. The horse will compensate for these problems through gait and posture but this can lead to muscular and joint problems.

Sports massage can alleviate the problems caused by the saddle and highlight where and what the problem is.

Bucas Recuptex Therapy Rug

The Bucas Recuptex Therapy Rug not only prevents numerous medical problems but can also help treat a vast array of ailments such as:

Arthritis

Muscle soreness

Soft tissue damage

Whither soreness

Kissing spine

Made from an extremely fine stainless steel mesh it acts like a Faraday Cage, reflecting the magnetic fields created inside the body. Preserving these fields stimulates blood circulation and oxygen flow in the horse’s body and back. This heals and reduces swelling and inflammation and promotes faster healing.

Testimonials

I highly recommend Katrina to anyone wanting a thorough horse massage. Katrina is very friendly and professional in her role… Read MoreEmma Simpson

Katrina has treated my horse a couple of times because he was coming back into work and I wanted him to feel good as his muscles were developing… Read MoreMegan Taylor

Katrina contacted me in regard to gaining practical experience for her course. I am a professional Horse Trainer in Amberley…. Read MoreKevin Chapman